Words of Comfort
by Lamanth
Summary: ONE SHOT – Sometimes what you need most isn’t someone who will listen, but someone who will tell you what you need to hear. .slight Naruto/Hinata. .hinted Sasuke/Ino.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, merchandise, TV rights, ect… (I think you get the point.)

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Summery 

ONE SHOT – Sometimes what you need most isn't someone who will listen, but someone who will tell you what you need to hear. (slight Naruto/Hinata) (hinted Sasuke/Ino)

Like all of my work this is just something that happened to float through the empty void inside my head. Like it or hate it please R and R as honest opinions are always welcomed, as are random acts of worship.

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Lamb: It was so strange, Hinata popped into my head and she was talking! Ok, I got a few lines of dialogue and kinda built a fic round it.

**Muse:** She means se did her usual trick and wrote the middle of the story first, then the end and wrote the beginning last.

_Dedi:_ Some people might call that strange. But anyway this fic is dedicated to **AkemiYumikov3** because I know she likes both these pairings. So **AkemiYumikov3**, this is for you.

Lamb: As always sorry for any bad spelling and if you feel the need to throw things at me please wait until I've hidden behind the sofa kay!?

M**use: **On with the fic!

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_Now I understand,  
What you tried to say to me,  
How you suffered for your sanity,  
How you tried to set them free,  
They would not listen, they did not know how,  
Perhaps they'll listen now,_

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**Words of Comfort**

The warm summer night was calm and the dark velvet sky was filled with stars that burned with a strange fever brightness. A crescent moon hung amid the cold points of light, and shone its light down on a solitary figure.

Naruto dropped heavily onto bridge, his feet dangling over the rushing water while he rested his folded arms and head on the lower railing. Hot tears of shame and failure spilled from his eyes and rolled in warm rivers down his cheeks. No longer caring he broke down and wept, letting the salt water run unchecked over his skin.

He had failed. He had promised Sakura that he would bring Sasuke home, and he hadn't done so. True, his pink haired team-mate had said that it was all right and that the would bring him home together, but that still did not change the fact that he had not been able to complete that task he had set for himself. And worse still was, not only had he ended up in hospital, but also so had many of his friends. All because of that teme's lust for power and revenge.

The look in Sakura's emerald eyes had been bad enough, but strangely enough it had been the look of complete desolation in those of Ino Yamanaka's that had been the last straw. He had met the girl, that could easily have passed for his sister, by chance earlier that day when he was just leaving, and she was heading to, the Hokage tower. The light-eyed blonde had given him her normal bright smile, but Naruto could see that it failed to reach her eyes and even though she was trying to hide it the pain she felt was evident.

For a long time Naruto had suspected that Sasuke was involved with someone, even though he had never been able to work out who it was. It wasn't just the way he was always so dismissive of their team-mate whenever she tried to get his attention, it went further that him just wanting to be left alone. Then at the start of the Chuunin exam, Ino had glomped Sasuke from the back and he had done nothing to get the blonde female to let go. And that was when the pieces had started to fall ainto place for Naruto, and the stricken look on her face when she had found out about Sasuke's betrayal had only served to confirm his suspicion.

"Stupid, stupid bastard." Naruto hissed out between sharp breaths. "It's all your fault, you stupid, stupid…"

_Why? Why? Why?_

It was the question that kept going around and around inside his head. He was old enough to know that there was little in life that was fair, but it still didn't make it any easier to deal with. Sasuke had been like a brother to him, and though he hated him for abandoning them all and stabbing those that cared for him in the back, Naruto couldn't help but continue to care for the cold-hearted bastard. And his mixed emotions were only serving to make him feel even more confused and useless that he already had.

"Umm... N-N-Naruto?" The sound of the gently voice along with the soft touch on his shoulder made Naruto jump. He'd been so lost in thought that he had not sensed anyone approaching and turned his head round to see just who the voice belonged to.

"Hinata, please go away." The blonde boy muttered turning his head away and in that moment he almost wished he were dead. For she must have seen his tears, there was no way she could have failed to do so.

The Hyuuga heiress however did not do as he commanded. Instead she too lowered her self onto the bridge and sitting beside him swung her legs out over the river. Her eyes fixed on the inky waters running under her, the dark surface gilded with a patchwork of silver as it reflected a disjointed image of the moon.

"N-Naruto… I… w-w-what…" Hinata gulped an mentally shook herself. This was not the time to feel self-conscious and let stuttering like a silly little fool stop her from doing what she must. Naruto was obviously distressed and as a shinobi of Konoha it was her duty to offer him comfort and ease his sorrow if she possibly could.

"N-Naruto, don't be ashamed I-I know why you cry and grieve, it is because y-you are a good person with a kind and l-l-l-loving h-heart. Not some hard hearted pitiless person, who does not c-c-care about those who are close to him."

He turned his head to face her once more, bright blue eyes fixing on her determined face with its small neat features. Hesitantly she reached out and using the sleeve of her shirt wiped away his tears, for normally such a shy and timed girl, the opal eyed Genin had a lot to say.

"Please l-listen to me, even the s-s-strongest and bravest must sometimes w-weep it shows that they posses a great h-heart, one that can feel compassion for others. You are brave N-Naruto; already you have done great th-th-things for one so young. I know I-I am only an in-inadequate kunoichi, who is a dis-dis-disappointment and dis-dis-disgrace to her cl-clan, but even I can see the c-courage and leadership in you. A burn… burning brand lights the way, and each day y-y-your flame grows br-brighter. There is none l-l-like you N-Naruto, you have the sign of gr-gr-greatness upon you and one day Konoha and all the l-l-land will be indebted to y-you. N-Naruto, you are a tr-tr-true warrior."

The blonde, who would one day be named the sixth Hokage, stood up slowly. His eyes were now dry and his head was held high, he felt himself stand taller than he ever had before. Taking one of Hinata's hands in his own he helped her to her feet and in a most un-Naruto like show of respect bowed to her.

"Arigotto, Hinata-chan. I don't how can I ever thank you for what you've said." He smiled warmly at the indigo haired girl who did not seem able to meet his gaze. "You too are a very special shinobi and you should know better than to listen to anyone who says different. But it's late now and we both could do with some rest."

She dipped her head slightly in agreement with his statement but was unable to find her voice enough to put it into words. Part of Hinata thought that after her long speech it was only natural for her voice to faultier. But another part of her whispered that it was Naruto calling her a _very special shinobi_ that had caused her tongue to turn to led.

Suddenly the blond's hand was under her chin, raising her head so that Hinata was forced to look directly into a pair of eyes so blue that she wondered if she might drown in them. She did not get the chance to find out however as her head filled with white mist when Naruto's next move was to press a light kiss to her rose stained cheek.

"Goodnight Hinata-chan." He said, flashing the dark haired kunoichi his trade mark foxy grin before bounding across the bridge.

"Goodnight, N-Naruto-kun." The whisper was so soft that it failed to carry across the sound of the rushing river.

When he reached the opposite bank Naruto turned and waved at Hinata who was still standing where he had left her one hand pressed to her cheek. And is suddenly struck him how pretty the Hyuuga heiress looked standing there in the soft moonlight, her pale skin almost seemed to glow and he could see the purple/blue sheen gilding her hair. She looked like some exquisitely painted china doll, beautiful yet fragile as if she might brake if she was not handled with the care she deserved.

Turning and continuing on his way Naruto thought that he might rather like to be the one to give Hinata the love her father had so obviously denied her.

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Lamb: (rolls eyes) I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote this thing, I probably just wasn't thinking at all.

**Muse:** No kidding!

_Dedi:_ Baka! Well, **AkemiYumikov3** we hoped you liked it.

Please R and R I'd love to know what you thought.

Big luv see ya

Lamanth


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